What The Future Holds
by GalitMirav
Summary: Ethan and Theresa are in for the biggest ride of their lives. Can they survive it? And I mean survive in more ways than one. Fair warning, this is not a story that truly devoted Ivy fans should read.
1. Revelations

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Passions or NBC. I am not making money off of this story.   
  


Note: Charity isn't frozen in ice in this story. And Luis is still in Bermuda.   
  


What The Future Holds Part 1  
  


Ethan, Whitney, and Theresa entered the Crane Mansion and walked to the library. Theresa was of course, worried and thinking about herself being pregnant with Julian Crane's child; worried if her relationship with Ethan might not survive. Just when they got outside the library (the door was closed) they stopped as they heard Bruce and Julian talking. They listened in.

Julian: "Bruce, how could you?! Putting me and Sweet Theresa in the same bed in Bermuda even though we didn't sleep together! What were you thinking?"

Bruce: "Oh come on. I thought it was a good joke. I thought it was funny."

(There was a pause. Ethan, Theresa, and Whitney were in shock by what they heard).

"Hey look at the bright side, at least you two didn't sleep together."

Ethan barged in then. "You son of a bitch!" He punched Bruce out. 

"Ethan, wait!" Theresa yelled, entering the room. 

Ethan turned and stared at her, feeling betrayed again. "How could you not tell me? How could you not tell me you slept with Julian. Yeah, we now know you didn't, but you thought you did before. How could you not tell me?" Theresa was beginning to cry, Ethan didn't care. "I don't trust you anymore," he continued, making Theresa cry harder. "I can't marry you." He stormed out. 

"Ethan, wait! Please!" Ethan stopped and turned. "I'm pregnant!" she said through her tears. "If I didn't sleep with Julian that means you're the father."

Ethan didn't say anything for a second. "You're just saying that to keep me from leaving you."

Whitney jumped in to help her friend. "It's true, Ethan."

Ethan shook his head. "I don't trust you anymore, Theresa." Theresa just cried harder. "I don't even think I love you anymore." He turned and walked out, leaving a sobbing Theresa. Whitney tried to comfort her but it was no use.  
  


Two days later, Theresa was shot in the chest. She was rushed to the hospital and into surgery, the bullet collapsed her lung and lacerated her pulmonary artery. They didn't know if she would make it, much less if she could hold the baby. No one knew who shot her. Ethan, Sam, Whitney, Chad, Miguel, Charity, Pilar, Ivy, Gwen, and Rebecca were at the hospital. Ethan was beside himself with worry and guilt. Ivy was one of the people who was comforting him but at the same time was secretly feeling triumphant because of what she'd done.

Gwen and Rebecca went into a corner to secretly release their joy. They'd barely been able to hide the happiness from showing on their faces in front of everyone. They were so happy that Theresa might die.

"Oh this is unbelievable," Gwen said. "I can't believe Theresa could actually die."

"Me neither. And the beauty of it is, this wasn't even part of our plan." She smiled. "We didn't mean for Theresa to die, at the minimum we just wanted her out of Ethan's life. And she's going to be out of Ethan's life in more ways than one. And it's even better that we're not the ones who killed her." 

Gwen sighed. "But I can't imagine the pain Ethan will be in if she dies. Look at him now, he's worried beyond belief. If she dies, he'll be inconsolable." She shook her head.

"Well, that's no problem," Rebecca continues. "Out of bad comes good. You will be there to comfort him and when enough time passes, he'll fall back in love with you and everything will be perfect."

"Not if he finds out we sent the email to the tabloid. If he finds that out he'll never want to see me again."

"He won't. I'll see to it that he won't ever find out. It was a brilliant plan and I won't let it unravel. I'll convince Julian to adopt Ethan back as a Crane and nothing will fall apart."

"But what if it does?"

"It won't fall apart. Everything will be perfect. Ethan will never find out we sent the email from Theresa's computer."

Just then a voice from behind said "Oh yes he will." Gwen and Rebecca turned around, it was Sheridan, who was with Luis. Both women screamed.

Everyone else looked up and saw Sheridan. None of them moved, they were all too shocked. Finally, Ethan got up and walked over to her. "Sheridan?" 

"Yes, Ethan. It's me. I'm alive."

They hugged. "Thank God," Ethan said. "But how? Then who was that woman we cremated?"

They pulled apart. "I was never dead. That woman was some other woman, they didn't compare the dental records right. I was found by some fisherman off the coast of Bermuda and I had amnesia, but when I saw Luis I remembered everything."

"Thank God," Ethan said again. 

Before anyone else had a chance to say anything or even to embrace her and welcome her back, Sheridan turned back to Gwen and Rebecca and stared at them coldly. "Tell them, Gwen!" she shouted. "I heard everything you said. Tell them you and your mother sent the email to the tabloid!" Once again everyone was in shock, this time by what Sheridan said.

Rebecca stammered. "I...I don't know what you're talking about."

Gwen folded. "Yes! Yes, alright! We sent the email to the tabloid from Theresa's computer!"

"What?!" Ethan and Ivy shouted at the same time. 

Rebecca hit her daughter in the arm. "Gwen!"

"It was over, Mother. They never would have believed us over Sheridan."

Ethan walked up to her. "How could you? How could you do this?"

"I did it because I love you," was all Gwen could say.

"Well if that's your way of showing it than you can go to hell. My Gd why didn't I see it. You just happen to get over me quickly after I left you for Theresa and you happen to throw an engagement party for us on the exact night the tabloid comes out. And the exact day the tabloid came out that said Theresa was the one who betrayed me was our wedding day. How could I have not seen it?"

"Please, Ethan. I love you. I never meant to hurt you."

"Well you did. If you care about be at all you'll get out of my life. You know, you could have had my friendship but now all you have is my hatred."

Sheridan said "I don't want to see you again either, Gwen. You betrayed me too when you sent that email. All you have is my hatred as well." Gwen walked out crying, Rebecca followed her. "Oh and Rebecca," she began, Rebecca turned around. "That plan wasn't going to work anyway. I know my father and there is no way he'd allow Julian to adopt Ethan back into the family." Rebecca turned and walked out. 

No one said anything for a few seconds, but then finally everyone was saying how shocked they were and how they couldn't believe they didn't see it.

Whitney and Chad were ready to strangle themselves for having not seen it. "I can't believe it. It was right in front of my face, I can't believe I didn't see it!" Whitney exclaimed.

Chad shook his head. "I can't believe I even thought it was Theresa who sent the tabloid."

"Look at Ethan!" Whitney almost yelled. They both looked at him, he had his face buried in his hands. "Theresa could die and she and Ethan will never be together." They both didn't say anything for a few seconds. "Theresa wouldn't like it in general if two people who were meant to be together were apart." She paused. "Come on." She started to leave.

"Where are we going," Chad asked. 

"Do you still love me?"

Chad paused. "Yes." 

"Then we're going to tell Simone." 

He sighed. "Alright." They both left.  
  


Out of everyone who felt guilty, Ivy was the worst. And it wasn't for having not seen through Gwen and Rebecca. "Dear Gd why?! Why did I do it?!" She was the one who shot Theresa. She had tears in her eyes. "How could I have done this to Pilar? To Ethan?" She thought back to the wedding, to trying to expose Theresa afterward, and all she felt was incredible guilt. "Theresa can't die, for Ethan's sake. She can't lose his child either." She sighed. "But if she lives she'll tell everyone I shot her, she'll say it was me. Ethan and Pilar will hate me forever." She shook her head. "But I deserve it. Either way I can't I hide what I did. I lost everything and it's all my fault." She paused, still teary eyed. "I have to tell them." She wiped her eyes and turned around.

"Everyone!" she shouted, everyone turned and faced her. "I have a confession to make." She didn't know how she was going to say it, but she knew she had to. Finally she just gave up and broke down. "I did it! I'm the one who shot Theresa. I'm the reason she could die. I did it." Everyone stared at her in disbelief. "It was me."

Pilar just lunged at her. She was ready to kill Ivy. Eve and Sam had to hold her back. "You blamed all your problems on Theresa!" she shouted. "Did Theresa force you and Sam to break up?! Did Theresa force you into a loveless marriage?! Did Theresa make you pass off Ethan as Julian's son because you were weak, materialistic, and greedy?!" She paused to catch her breath, but Sam and Eve were still having a hard time trying to hold her back.

Ethan walked up to Ivy. He glared at her with hate. "Should Theresa have scanned that letter onto her computer, that's debatable. But let's face it if she had told me I was Sam Bennett's son there was no way I'd believe her without proof and if I had confronted you about it you would have just lied your way out of it just so you could stay Mrs. Julian Crane and get your secret revenge on Alistair and Julian." He continued to glare at her with hatred. 

Pilar continued. Eve and Sam let her go. "Sam, Ethan, I'm sorry I didn't tell you you were father and son! I'm sorry! I made the awful mistake of being friends with this backstabbing bitch!" She glared at Ivy. 

Ethan turned to Sam. "Take her," he said. Sam arrested Ivy and left to take her down to the station. Ivy was in tears. Everyone else just stared at each other in shock.


	2. Truths

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Passions or NBC. I am not making money off of this story.   
  


What The Future Holds Part 2  
  


Sam glared at Ivy as he entered the Harmony jail. He had been silent the whole car ride over there, too angry and dismayed to say anything. 

As he put her in her cell he finally let her have it. "You know, Ivy!" he almost yelled, "this is low, even for you." He locked the cell. "I could never have imagined even you doing something like this."

"I'm sorry, Sam. I wasn't thinking," she replied not even hearing what she was saying.

"Oh yes you were. You hated Theresa since you saw the headline saying she sent the email. I guess you finally decided to do something about it. Well remorse isn't going to get you out of this one, Ivy. You're looking at 15 years to life for attempted murder. And if Theresa dies you're definitely going to get life." 

"It doesn't matter what sentence I get." Ivy said, ready to cry again. "Everyone who I care about hates me. You, Pilar, Ethan."

He nodded bitterly. "Yeah, you got that right. You know, it's ironic, isn't it? When it comes down to it, Theresa didn't ruin your life, Gwen didn't ruin your life, Rebecca didn't ruin your life, not even Julian and Alistair ruined your life. You did. You ruined your own life by being so vengeful and by being a complete bitch."

Ivy just stared at the wall, taking in what Sam said. He was right, and it hurt. She knew she ruined her own life the second Gwen admitted she sent the email, but it stung to have someone actually say it. But she had to admit one more thing. "Sam," she began, "David isn't really Grace's husband." She had tears in her eyes.

"How do you know that?"

She stared at him. "Because I hired him to pretend to be." Sam was in shock, he stared at her with dismay. Ivy continued. "I hired him, just like I hired Father Mike, just like I forged a copy of the marriage licence and sent it to Hartford." She waited for Sam's response.

He looked around, feeling more anger and hatred for Ivy than he did before. "You know what Ivy?!" he yelled, but was cut off when the telephone rang.

He let the phone ring a second time before going over to answer it, glaring with hatred at Ivy at the same time. "Hello?...Oh Gd." He winced. Ivy walked over to the edge of her cell in fear, praying that he wasn't told Theresa had died. "Yeah," Sam continued over the phone. "Yeah, I'll be right there." He hung up.

"Who was it?" Ivy asked, panic in her voice.

"That was Eve. Theresa lost the baby." He glared at Ivy

"Oh no."

"And because of the sudden stress on her body, she has an even lesser chance of surviving the surgery." Ivy was crying. "I gotta get to the hospital for Ethan." He started to leave. "Better tally it up Ivy, that's two miscarriages you've caused." He stormed out.

Ivy stood there thinking about everything that happened and what Sam just said. Then she thought about what Ethan was going through and what he was thinking. And then she just collapsed on the floor in sobs.  
  


Grace and Sam got to the hospital at the same time. "Sam!" Grace yelled when she finally recognized him in the dark. "You're not going to believe what David said in this goodbye letter."

"He isn't your husband," he replied frankly.

She sighed. "Ivy told you."

"Yeah, I'm still in shock. I can't believe how evil she's become."

"Same here. How's Theresa doing?"

He shook his head. "She lost the baby."

Her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, no."

"I have to be with Ethan," he said as they entered the hospital. "Miguel has Charity, Luis has Sheridan, Pilar doesn't have anyone..." 

"I'll go be with her," Grace said. "I was going to be anyway."

"Thanks. That's what I was going to ask." He then stopped and stared at Grace. "But I don't think there's anything we can do for them except try to comfort them."

"It's something."

"Yeah, but it's going to take more than that to pull Ethan through."

They didn't say anything else until they saw Ethan, who just looked helpless with his head in his hands. "I have to find Pilar," Grace said. "I'll leave you two alone." She kissed Sam on the cheek and left.

Sam stood in the doorway for a few seconds trying to think of what to do. Finally he walked over to Ethan and sat down next to him. 

"How did this happen?" Ethan asked looking up at him. He looked like he had been crying. "How could she betray me like this?"

"Sshh." Sam wrapped his arm around him. "Ivy's in jail, she's gonna stay there. She's never going to hurt anyone again."

"It's too late. I lost my baby. And I could lose Theresa too." His voice was completely choked trying to hold back tears. "Oh Gd. If she dies she's not going to know I love her. She's not going to know I forgive her. She's not going to know I love her." The tears were falling down his face, as he stared up at the ceiling. "Please God, don't take Theresa away from me. Please let her live." He stared back at the wall. Within seconds he burst into sobs and collapsed on Sam's lap.

"Let it out," Sam said as he stroked his son's shoulder. "Let it out." It was all he could say. He almost said, 'It's okay,' but he knew it wasn't. It wasn't okay and he couldn't make it okay. He couldn't make it better for Ethan. All he could do was hold him as he sobbed.

Gradually, Ethan's sobbing became heavy breathing. When Sam leaned over he saw his eyes were closed. He had cried himself to sleep. Sam looked over at the wall thinking about Ivy, a deep glare in his eyes. He wasn't even thinking about how she hired David or all the other things she did to break him and Grace up, all he was thinking about was Ethan. "Damn you, Ivy," he said. "Damn you to hell for what you did to my son." He continued to stroke Ethan anyway even though he was asleep, and within minutes he had fallen asleep himself. 


	3. Bonding

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Passions or NBC. I am not making money off of this story  
  


What The Future Holds Part 3  
  


A few hours later Theresa's surgery was over. Eve walked into the waiting room and saw Sam and Ethan were asleep, Ethan on his father's lap. She stood amazed at the sight and then walked over to them.

"Ethan?" she said gently shaking him to wake him up. "Ethan, Theresa's out of surgery." Ethan woke and sat up, which woke Sam up. "Theresa's out of surgery," she repeated.

"Is she going to be okay?" Ethan asked, concern and exhaustion in his voice.

"She'll probably be fine," Eve responded. "You can see her in the recovery room."

"Thank you. I'll be there in a minute." Eve nodded and walked out. Sam and Ethan didn't say anything for a few seconds. "What do I say to her?" Ethan finally asked. "What do say to her when she wakes up?"

Sam sighed. "Well, I think you should just stick to saying that you love her and forgive her. Don't talk about the baby unless she brings it up. It'll just create more stress on her, and that's the last thing she needs."

Ethan nodded and got up, rubbing his neck because of the awkward position he slept in. When he was almost at the door he stopped and looked up at the ceiling, tears in his eyes. Sam got up and walked over to him. Ethan turned around and hugged him, obviously stressed out and scared from everything that happened. Sam thought he heard him crying. He didn't know what to say, all he could do was hold him. "I'll be in here waiting," he finally said something. 

Ethan pulled away from his father and nodded. "Okay, thanks." He wiped his eyes and left. Sam stared after him and felt helpless because he knew he couldn't take away his son's pain.  
  


About half an hour later, Theresa woke up. She groaned, having never felt in such pain. She opened her eyes and saw Ethan was holding her hand. He looked like he had been crying. She tried to speak, but all she could do was mouth his name.

"Ssh." He leaned over and brushed the hair across her forehead. "I love you, Theresa. I will always love you. You're the only woman for me." He paused, not knowing what to say. Theresa, meanwhile, started crying and Ethan wiped the tears off her face. "I probably shouldn't be telling you this now, but it was Gwen and Rebecca who sent the tabloid." Theresa winced, and Ethan could tell it was because she couldn't understand how she didn't see it herself. "None of us saw it either," he added, trying to make Theresa feel better.

"I love you," Theresa whispered.

"I love you, too."

After a few seconds Theresa whispered "the baby?"

Ethan winced. He so wished she hadn't remembered. He didn't know how to tell her they lost the baby. It would break her heart and that would just make her condition worse. He sighed. "We lost it. Theresa, I'm sorry."

"No!" She was completely in tears by then. "No!" And then her monitors started making noises that they shouldn't have. She was in the danger zone. 

"Theresa!" Ethan yelled in horror. Then the nurses and doctors, including Eve, came over quickly and started administering a sedative and other drugs.

"Ethan, I'm going to have to ask you to step outside," Eve said after Theresa was sedated. Ethan walked back to the waiting room in a daze, stunned by everything that had happened and worried still about Theresa. 

"How's she doing?" Sam asked when Ethan came back. But he could already tell from the look on his face that it wasn't good.

"Everything was going okay until she mentioned the baby and then I had to tell her what happened and when I did she started crying and became hysterical and then her monitors started going crazy and they had to sedate her and...and I don't know what to do..."

"Ssh, ssh," Sam whispered, leaning his son's head on his shoulder just as Ethan burst into tears. He hugged him. "I'm here, let it out."

After a few seconds Ethan hugged him back. "I love you, Dad," he said for the first time.

"I love you too, son." He hugged him tighter. "Believe it." He held him for a little while as he cried. 

"Hey it's been a hard night for all of us," Sam said after awhile, "and Theresa's going to be under sedation for a while, so do you wanna get some coffees cause I think we both could use it."

Ethan nodded and wiped his eyes. "Yeah, okay." Sam wrapped his arm around his shoulder and they both walked down to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was closed when they got there. The vending machines were working so they got coffee from there. They sat down and didn't say anything for a few seconds.

Ethan finally broke the silence. "Can you answer one question?"

"Sure son, what is it?"

He sighed. "How could I have ever hated you? I'm ready to strangle myself for having ever."

Sam sighed trying to think of a response. "I don't know. Maybe it was because you were raised as a Crane and had some of the Crane teaching or whatever."

Ethan thought for a second and then shook his head. "If that's the case how come Sheridan isn't like that? After all she is a Crane."

He shrugged. "Okay then I don't know." Ethan gave a humorless laugh. "But I forgive you for hating me."

"I don't know if I forgive myself."

He pulled him closer. "Hey, it's okay. It doesn't matter. That's all in the past. You've got other things to worry about." He meant for it to be comforting but realized immediately that the last sentence completely negated it. 

"Yeah, you got that right." He shook his head. "How could this have happened? How did I get from coming this close to marrying Theresa and then having everything fall apart? I lost my baby. The woman I love almost died. Gwen betrayed me. Ivy betrayed me."

Sam raised an eyebrow having caught the fact that Ethan didn't refer to Ivy as his mother. But he decided not to talk about that just then. "At least Gwen and Ivy are out of your life," he said. "And Theresa is alive. She's gonna make it. You both are going to spend the rest of your lives together; and nobody's going to come between you ever again."

Ethan nodded. "Yeah. But it doesn't take away the pain away from losing my child."

He paused before responding. "That pain's always going to with you, Ethan," he replied solemnly. "But look at the bright side, at least it wasn't your fault that she lost the baby."

Ethan knew what he was talking about. "But I could have prevented it. If I hadn't gotten so angry after I found out she slept or didn't sleep with Julian," he didn't know how it otherwise, "I could have protected her from Ivy and she'd still be pregnant with our child."

Sam shook his head. "Wouldn't help. Knowing Ivy she would have found a way to get to Theresa some how."

Ethan sighed. "I just feel so helpless, so useless; I don't know."

Sam sighed. "I understand. I felt that way last night." Ethan stared at him and felt a little comfort in that, knowing he was not alone. "Last night, after we found out Theresa lost the baby and you cried- well, sobbed is more like it- to sleep, I felt completely useless because I couldn't take away your pain. I wanted too, believe me Ethan I did, just to keep you from feeling that way." 

Ethan responded after a second. "Thanks. That means a lot."

Sam continued. "And at that second, I never hated Ivy more. I hated her when I found out she shot Theresa. I hated her when she revealed she was still trying to break me and Grace up. But at that second, I never hated her more." Ethan took another sip of his coffee, feeling exactly what his father was feeling. "Not only did she keep us from having a relationship all these years, but she made it so that one of our first bonding experiences had to be over something so tragic. Something she caused no less." He looked over at Ethan and saw Ethan had tears in his eyes again. "Aw." He leaned him on his shoulder. "It's okay."

"It's not that," Ethan said. "I really burned the back of my throat."

After a second of comprehending what Ethan just said, Sam burst into laughter and Ethan did shortly after. They laughed until they almost cried. "Thanks," Sam said. "I think we needed that more than the coffee."

"Yeah," Ethan wiped his eyes and stood up. "We better get back upstairs. I don't know how long it's going to be till Theresa wakes up." Sam nodded and got up. They both walked a few feet until Ethan stopped and turned to face his father. "By the way," he began, "I forgot to say this. I forgive you for hating me too."

Sam smiled and father and son embraced again.


	4. What The Future Holds

Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with Passions or NBC. Nor am I affiliated with the Backstreet Boys. I am not making money off of this story.  
  


What The Future Holds Part 4  
  


Two days after Theresa's surgery Ethan was allowed to lift her and hold her, so long as she was still lying down. They didn't say anything beyond the usual "I love you's," but three days after her surgery she was allowed to sit up and Ethan held her tightly, and that was when she let her emotions take control.

"It's all my fault! It's all my fault!" she almost yelled.

"Calm down, Theresa. It isn't."

"Yes it is! If I hadn't scanned your mother's letter onto my computer, Gwen and Rebecca wouldn't have found it and wouldn't have sent it to the tabloid and Ivy wouldn't have tried to kill me!" She was crying in Ethan's arms.

"Look at me. Look at me!" He looked her straight in the eye. "It is not your fault! The only ones who are to blame are Gwen, Rebecca, and Ivy. They're the ones who hurt us. Their the ones who took our baby from us. You didn't." He said it loud and firmly.

Theresa stared at him for a second and then collapsed in his arms and started crying. 

Ethan winced. He knew he probably could have said that better. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You're right," she said through her tears. "It's just easier blaming myself."

"I know. I was there too."

"But I am such an idiot." She let go and looked at him. "I didn't trust your love for me. If I hadn't been so stupid as to lie, if I had just told you I knew that you were Sam Bennett's son you and I would have been married by now and none of this would have happened."

Ethan shook his head. "No. Knowing the true person Ivy is she would have found a way to get to you somehow."

"It's just...and then Bermuda. How could I just go and follow Julian Crane knowing the kind of person he is. I wasn't thinking. You even said you were glad you were no longer a Crane. Why am I so stupid? Why am I such an idiot? How can I be so naive?"

Ethan hugged her again just as she started crying. "Look, we were all naive. I'm glad you didn't really sleep with Julian but when you thought you did, I mean...I can't believe I didn't think that you slept with Julian considering the kind of person Julian is. And none of us saw Gwen and Rebecca sent the email to the tabloid." He quickly added "Don't blame yourself. None of us saw it."

She shook her head. "That still doesn't change the fact that all of this could have been prevented."

"Just calm yourself down. This isn't good for you."

She shook her head again. "No. There's more I have to tell you." And she told him about how there never was a Chuck, how she had these dreams about marrying him since she was a little girl, everything." She was crying when she finished, afraid Ethan was going to leave her.

Ethan didn't say anything for a second, comprehending what Theresa just told him. Then he kissed her, a deep passionate kiss. "It's okay." Theresa cried as they held each other, neither of them said anything for a short while.

"How's everyone else doing?" Theresa finally asked.

"Chad and Whitney are back together. Thought you might want to know." He smiled. 

Theresa's face brightened. "They are?!"

"Yep, they finally decided to tell Simone."

"How'd she take it?" Her face fell a little at the thought of someone having a broken heart.

"Well lets just say that when I saw Chad and Whitney at the hospital they were both sitting down and they looked a little guilty. I went up to them and I asked what was wrong and Chad responded 'what I couldn't hear you I think Simone made me deaf' and then Whitney elbowed him."

She sighed. "I hope she'll be okay." Ethan nodded. "But at least Chad and Whitney are back together, that's good."

"The news gets even better. Sheridan's alive." He smiled and seeing Theresa's shocked disbelief face. "They must have read the dental records wrong because it wasn't Sheridan. Sheridan is alive. She had amnesia but when she saw Luis she remembered everything."

It was a second before Theresa could say anything. "How's Luis?" she finally managed to say, obviously still in shock.

"How do you think?"

"Unbelievable."  
  


The night of Christmas Eve, ten days after Theresa's surgery, Whitney and Pilar came into her room trying to hide the excitement on their faces as best they could. They brought with them a brand new dress for Theresa. 

"Wow thanks. Where are we going?"

"To the hospital chapel," Whitney answered. "The hospital's having it's own little Christmas ceremony."

"But isn't this a little too fancy for that kind of ceremony?"

"Not really," Pilar replied. Theresa didn't notice her wink at Whitney.  
  


Everyone else was in the chapel. By everyone: Eve, TC, Chad, Sam, Ethan, Miguel, Charity, Jessica, Grace, Luis, Sheridan, Hank, and Reese. Father Lonigan was there to perform the ceremony. Simone didn't come because it was still too painful to see Chad and Whitney together and Kay didn't come so could comfort her friend. Most of the people were the putting the finishing touches on the decorations. Just as they finished, Miguel, who had been watching outside the door came back in and shouted "they're coming!"

Almost everyone quickly began to run behind the pews when Grace almost yelled "Do we really want to shout surprise to someone who just had major heart surgery?!" Everyone felt a little stupid as they walked back to the door.

Pilar finally came in wheeling her daughter and Whitney was walking beside them. "Merry Christmas!" Everyone said (not very loud). Theresa looked around the chapel in shock. The whole place was decorated for a wedding. "What's going on?" she asked as Pilar wheeled her to the front of the chapel.

Ethan kneeled in front of her, broad smile on his face. "We're getting married."

"What?"

"You and I, Luis and Sheridan. A double wedding. This time with a happy ending."

Theresa finally smiled. "Now?!"

Ethan nodded. "Merry Christmas."

Father Lonigan began. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the Sight of God, to witness the unions of Luis and Sheridan, and Ethan and Theresa; four very special people."

Theresa was lost in Ethan's eyes as they exchanged rings. She would be lost in his eyes through the entire ceremony. Father Lonigan continued, saying it was time to exchange vows. Theresa then had a brief look of panic on her face as she realized she didn't have any vows prepared. Ethan quickly answered "We wanted this to be a surprise and since we knew you wouldn't have vows prepared, all of us are going to do it off the top of our heads." Theresa gave a sigh of relief as Luis started to say his vows to Sheridan. Then Sheridan's said hers to Luis.

Finally, Ethan said his vows to Theresa. "Theresa, I used to be in love with you but now, there's no word to describe what I feel. What I feel is beyond love. I don't know what the future has in store for us, but I know that whatever cards we're dealt with, we'll get through it. Because I love you Theresa. Or, I should say, I love you more."

Theresa was crying at the end of Ethan's vows. "I don't know how I'm going to get through this," she smiled though her tears. Everyone laughed, including her. "I can't say that I love you either, because what I feel is also more than love. It's something that no one can define, only feel. All my dreams are coming true, I can feel it. And whatever life throws at us, we'll get though it, because we won't be alone. We'll be together, we'll have each other. I know we'll make it though what the future holds." She was completely in tears by then.

Father Lonigan continued. "Luis and Sheridan and Ethan and Theresa have declared their vows and it is my honor to pronounce them husband and wife." 

Theresa let out a scream of joy as she and Ethan melted into a deep torrid kiss. Luis and Sheridan kissed just as passionately. Everyone applauded and cheered.

Father Lonigan added one more thing. "I do not need the gift of sight to know there was no need for me to say 'you may kiss the bride.'" Everyone else laughed. Sam had a broad smile on his face. His son was like him in that he needed no prompting to take his wife into his arms.

"May I present Mr and Mrs Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald and Mr and Mrs Ethan Bennett." 

Sam and Theresa froze when they heard the name Bennett. They looked at each other and then at Ethan who just smiled at them. Then they turned and looked around at everyone else and realized they were the only ones who didn't know.

Everyone went into conversations with each other as Ethan walked up to his father. "Surprised?"

"Very."

They hugged. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Ethan." 

"Thanks for being there for me," he said when they let go. 

"No problem."

After a small Christmas ceremony in the chapel, Ethan wheeled Theresa back to her room, being greeted by applause by the hospital staff as they entered the hall. "This is from all of us," one of the nurses said, handing Theresa a wrapped package. 

Theresa opened it and burst into laughter. "Aw..." she handed it to Ethan, who laughed when he read what it said. It was her hospital chart, but instead of saying 'Miss Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald' on it, it read 'Mrs Theresa Bennett.' "Thank you. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas."

They finally got to the room and Ethan shut the door and lifted her out of the wheelchair and carried her to the bed. He got into bed next to her and they cuddled, not saying anything for a short while. They knew it would be a long time before they could make love again but they were happy, beyond happy, that they were finally married. "I love you, Theresa."

"I love you too, Ethan. I can't believe we're finally married."

"I know. It's like a dream come true."

"That's because it is." They cuddled tighter. "Just keep holding me."

"Wait. I forgot." He got of bed to get the tape player at the other end of the room. 

"What?"

"Chad made us a mix tape. I think it's great music to cuddle to." He carried the tape player over to the night stand and hit play (the tape was already in it.) He got back into bed and held Theresa again just as the song began playing.   
  


Here we are, in the arms of one another

And we still go on searching for each other

Knowing that hate is wrong

And love is right

For us tonight

When I look into your Spanish Eyes

I know the reason why I am alive

And the world is so beautiful tonight  
  


Ethan began singing along as the chorus began  
  


It's a place I've never been

And it comes from deep within

And it's telling me that I'm about to win first prize

Knowing all I have to do 

Is return my hand to you

Anytime I want to look into your Spanish Eyes

Ethan looked down at Theresa. She was asleep. He smiled. It had been the best day they both had in a long time. He loved her more than ever. Even though she was asleep he continued singing along with the song. When the song finished he turned off the tape player, got up and turned off the light, and went to back to bed and fell asleep quickly, arms wrapped around Theresa.  
  


Epilogue:

Ivy was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility for parole in 17 years.

Theresa was released from the hospital three weeks after Christmas. 4 months after Christmas they had a double wedding ceremony at the church. And it was the can't miss event of the year.

Theresa and Ethan had 4 more children: Jocelyn, Carlos, Destiny, and Maria. Theresa became a famous fashion designer and Ethan a very successful lawyer. That's what the future held for them.  
  
  
  



End file.
